February 27, 2013 2:45 pm

Gig Harbor diners, you’re about to get a new waterfront breakfast destination – brought to you by the owners of Gig Harbor’s Brix 25.

Expect a March opening for Netshed No. 9 at 3313 Harborview Drive.

Husband-wife team Thad Lyman and Katie Doherty – Northwest natives who bought Brix 25 four years ago after operating restaurants in Napa Valley – plan an all-day breakfast menu that includes skillet-baked cinnamon rolls, scratch-made English muffins, chicken and waffles, sourdough pancakes and what Doherty described as “true” crispy hash browns. Also on the menu will be an entree they’re importing from their restaurant days in California – the Mexican dish chilaquiles. Lyman is developing several versions of stuffed biscuits and gravy, said Doherty. On his maybe list right now are crab and cheddar stuffed biscuits and an asparagus and prosciutto version.

Doherty said the restaurant will employ a secret weapon to attract diners – Lyman’s hot chocolate. Doherty described it as an evil, diet busting concoction. “It’s a secret recipe. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I’m fairly certain 20 pounds of the pregnancy weight was that hot chocolate. It was the best thing I ever had,” she said. I had to ask – what’s it like? Viscous, creamy, deadly.

Hours are still a matter of discussion, but they expect to serve during breakfast and lunch hours, but most likely won’t offer dinner service. Expect menu prices to hover around $9-$12. They made the decision to serve a breakfast menu all day because as restaurant people who sometimes don’t get out the door until noon, they’re tired of being thwarted with breakfast service that stops early. The restaurant will offer table service, kids and families are welcome and deck seating will be people and pet-friendly when the weather cooperates.

The interior of the building – which has housed restaurants in recent years, but formerly was a netshed - has received some minor cosmetic changes, including replacing some of the flooring. The setting will be casual with a nautical theme – in keeping with Gig Harbor’s penchant for all things maritime. The name of the restaurant is a nod to Gig Harbor’s network of historical netsheds, which were a pivotal part of the city’s historical commercial fishing operations. The city refers to the building that will house Netshed No. 9 as the Novak (Stearns) Netshed – or Netshed K as it’s listed on the city’s netshed registry. Doherty said the name they selected is a nod to the fishermen who used the netsheds as visual markers in the Harbor. Doherty stumbled on old articles that referred to the Novak shed as “number nine” – the ninth shed viewable as fishermen returned to shore.

The restaurant is an idea that’s been percolating for Doherty – who grew up in Gig Harbor and Tacoma – and Lyman since they returned to the Northwest to purchase Brix 25, but the timing and real estate never were right – until now. They’ve been collecting materials for the restaurant idea for years. Lyman’s pile of kitchen implements includes antique waffle irons that they’ve refurbished to use at the restaurant.

Netshed No. 9 will operate where the Red Rooster Cafe formerly operated. That restaurant opened in August 2010, but closed recently – with some contention. Previously, that space housed Isa Mira.